


where you lead

by calcetineys



Series: hartford [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Prequel, also more like pre-relationship, lots of foreshadowing i apologize, now it's all ominous and stuff, that never really happens, this was SUPPOSED to be dumb and funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 22:17:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18678433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calcetineys/pseuds/calcetineys
Summary: Before the failure.





	where you lead

**Author's Note:**

> This one's the prequel and it's not at all what I had planned but.

“Piss off, Theo. I’m rewatching _Gilmore Girls_.”

The purposefully noisy footsteps heading from his bedroom window towards him pause. Stiles knew better than to believe that meant his instructions would be followed, so he turns the volume up and takes out one of his ear buds, deciding to see if he can pay attention to both the show and the annoyance behind him. 

“And you admit that?”

“Uh, yeah,” Stiles says, not bothering to look over his shoulder. Apparently, Theo isn’t satisfied not being the center of attention, because he comes up to Stiles’ desk and leans back against it.

“Any good?”

“Well, you’re here, so not really.”

Theo does that thing where he laughs at Stiles’ insults. It’s quite insulting in itself, so Stiles has stopped putting effort into it. 

“Is it any good when I’m not here?”

“Most things are.”

Still not very original, but then, neither is the quiet snort from above him. Stiles doesn’t bother looking up to see the expression that goes along with it. 

“What’s it about?”

“The description is easy enough to find online,” Stiles says, still staring at his computer screen. “And really? You might want to know the premise before you bash something. You’ll miss out on a lot like that. But I guess that’s a fitting punishment for all the bullshit you’ve pulled.”

“Now, does that mean you think my crimes weren’t that bad? Or are you just that serious about television?”

“The latter, definitely the latter.”

“Hm,” is all Theo says, and Stiles has to stop himself from looking up because that’s never a good response. 

Turns out Stiles’ instincts are as good as they ever were, because Theo breaks the cardinal rule of talking to someone with headphones: he unplugs the jack.

Stiles stares at the now disconnected jack and Theo’s hand that’s _still_ at the crime scene, the bastard, and if he weren’t determined to be the bigger person he might- well he’s not sure what he could do to annoy or maim Theo for this heinous offense, but he’d think of something and _do_ it. 

Like, a lot. 

He continues to stare as Theo’s hand trails across the keyboard to the volume button, pressing on the down button, because, okay, it was loud. It’s not like Stiles is the envy of hearing abilities anyway. 

Ugh, and then Theo does that thing where he _almost_ invades Stiles’ personal space, but not quite, even though Stiles can still feel the slightest bit of his body heat. Still, he rolls his chair to the side as Theo peels himself from the desk and stands next to him and looks down at the screen. 

“You know, there’s this ingenious technology called _Netflix_ that will let you stream this from the comfort of your own dank, horrifying lair. Less than ten bucks a month, too.”

“Thanks for the info,” Theo says, turning from the screen and smiling down at him as though Stiles just said something really great. 

Which is somehow more insulting than snorting at his half-assed insults, because Theo _knew_ Stiles could do better. He’d been on the receiving end of quite a few good ones, thank you. There’s no need to smile like that when Stiles basically just took the tagline from the commercials, alright?

And when did Stiles even look away from the screen anyway? This is why he doesn’t watch TV with people, not even people he liked. 

“Are you just gonna stand there and watch? And no, that wasn’t an invitation to _sit_ , you weirdo, get off my floor!” Stiles yelps when Theo starts to make himself at home on the carpet next to his chair. 

“Really, Stiles, I don’t mind. Some people just aren’t natural hosts. I can help you make up for your inexperience.”

“Oh, there are so many openings there, so many things I could say, but no, it’s not worth the effort.”

“Is it worth the effort to restrain yourself?” Theo asks, looking up at him curiously. 

Which- okay, maybe him saying that was for the best, because it takes Stiles back to the conversation where Theo tried to bring back the void. Even if right now Theo doesn’t mean _that_ , Stiles hadn’t thought he’d ever be relieved to hear anything like it again.

Because right now, with this thing that’s happening here? The banter about television and seating arrangements and whatever the hell else Theo meant by _inexperience?_ (Stiles knows exactly ‘whatever the hell else’ he’s talking about is, but no, his mind can _not_ right now.) That was- that was almost _normal_. 

Stiles’ stomach churns because that’s- that’s just not how it is. 

Theo can see Stiles’ reaction, because some of the curious light fades from his eyes, and he looks almost- he looks disappointed. 

Ugh, no, that’s not just it either. 

He fucking looks sad. 

Stiles looks back at the show again. It seems Theo does too, and Stiles can’t really make himself drudge up the energy to tell him to leave. Mostly because he knows it won’t work. 

But jokes on Theo, because this is the middle of the second season and he’s gonna be so lost. Or well, at least he won’t get the full emotional pay off, which truly is a severe punishment. Or it would be, if Theo understood feelings. 

Or had any. 

Stiles conveniently ignores the sad expression he saw just a few moments ago. Because it’s like, 95% certainly fake. 

But he was right about him not knowing what’s going on, because two minutes later, Theo asks, “Wait, so that’s her daughter?”

“Yup.”

“She doesn’t look old enough to have a daughter that age.”

“Kinda the whole premise of the show.”

“Teenage pregnancy?”

“They keep it classy though. Mostly.”

“Huh.”

Theo keeps his mouth shut for another two minutes before: “Is that really the premise of this show?”

“It’s actually more about terrible, pretty people with ridiculous problems. So it’s just short of reality TV.”

“Terrible, pretty people?”

“Yeah, they’re all pretty much horrible. Except Michel. I like Michel. I _identify_ with Michel.”

“And Michel is-?”

“One of the only rational characters.”

“You don’t seem to like this show that much.”

“It’s a guilty pleasure.”

Theo, amazingly, doesn’t have a reply to that. Stiles is so surprised by lack of reaction that he glances at the other boy, who’s moved to lean back on his palms so he can see the computer. He’s staring at the screen now, though his eyes are a little distant and Stiles wonders if he’s imagining the faint flush on his cheeks. 

Whatever, Stiles thinks. As long as he doesn’t start leaking mercury on the floor. 

Stiles should really get better standards for company. 

 

-

“What does Richard think he’s doing with Pennilyn Lott?”

Stiles blinks and looks over to find Theo standing at his locker. He pauses and wonders if he missed some new supernatural creatures enrolling at the school, because at this point, that wouldn’t even be surprising. 

He glances around the hallway, trying to spot who Theo’s talking about, but Theo’s just staring at him. 

“Am I missing something here?” Stiles finally asks. 

Theo frowns and says, “A person doesn’t just ‘have lunch’ with an ex-fiancé for thirty-nine years.”

Stiles just stares back at him, because he’s clearly not talking about high school students anymore. But then what-

“Wait,” Stiles says, feeling his jaw drop. “Are you seriously talking about _Gilmore Girls_ right now?”

“Yeah,” Theo says, like that should have been obvious.

“Oh my god,” Stiles breathes, turning back to his locker because he does _not_ have time for this. _Theo_ doesn’t have time for this. _Nobody_ has time for this.

“He’s happily married to Emily-” Theo goes on, apparently not understanding or not caring about the concept of time and how little they have of it. Stiles is praying for the bell to ring because honestly, failing his history quiz would make more sense right now. 

“What does it matter? None of that show makes sense,” Stiles interrupts.

“It matters,” Theo says with such conviction that Stiles has to look over at him. He doesn’t understand the intensity in Theo’s eyes, or why he’s so adamant about these people who don’t even exist. _It matters_ , Theo says, when there’s very little else that matters to him. Stiles stares back at him and wonders why- why _this_ is what matters. 

When the bell does ring, Stiles doesn’t feel the relief he’d hoped for. But he shuts his locker and gives Theo another glance and heads to class anyway. 

 

-

“Why did she think it was okay to see someone else?” Theo’s voice asks quietly. 

Stiles is ready for it this time. 

“They’re separated, Theo. It’s what people do.”

“It’s not what _they_ do,” Theo says in that same voice, leaning back on the wall Stiles is sitting against. He takes a breath and looks up to meet Theo’s eyes. 

He doesn’t ask why it matters. He doesn’t ask why Theo cares. He’s not sure he wants to hear the answer.

He just finds that he believes that Theo does, however unsettling that is.

“They aren’t happy,” Theo goes on. 

“No,” Stiles agrees. 

 

-

He’s not surprised when Theo comes back a few days later, with a smile that Stiles decides to see as smug. He figures that Theo’s finished the series, and knows that his favorite couple are happy and in love and together and all that other nonsense. 

Stiles wonders if he knows what happens in the sequel.


End file.
